Jamaican-Born Republican Winsome Earle-Sears Loses Virginia Governor’s Race

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Mon. Nov. 3, 2025: Jamaican-born immigrant and Virginia Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears has lost her historic bid to become the first female governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Republican candidate was defeated by Democrat Abigail Spanberger, a former congresswoman and CIA officer, in a closely watched race that flipped the governor’s office back to Democratic control.

With 51 percent of the votes counted as of press time, Spanberger secured 953,804 votes to Earle-Sears’ 733,182, according to state election officials. Spanberger’s win makes her the first woman ever elected governor of Virginia, ending Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin’s tenure and signaling potential momentum for Democrats heading into the 2026 midterm elections.

A Hard-Fought Race

Spanberger, 46, ran a disciplined campaign focused on economic stability, federal employment protection, and reproductive rights. She framed herself as a pragmatic leader seeking to protect Virginians from the effects of what she called “Trump-era chaos.” Her campaign emphasized job growth, infrastructure, and education while repeatedly linking Earle-Sears to President Donald Trump, despite his limited involvement in her campaign.

The race was viewed nationally as a bellwether for 2026, testing both Trump’s lingering influence on Republican candidates and the Democrats’ ability to reclaim ground in key swing states.

Trump offered tepid support to Earle-Sears but did not campaign in Virginia, underscoring tensions within the GOP about candidate alignment and electability heading into the midterms.

Earle-Sears’ Journey

Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Winsome Earle-Sears immigrated to the United States at age six. Her rise from immigrant to Marine Corps veteran and, eventually, to Virginia’s 42nd lieutenant governor marked a significant chapter in American and Caribbean diaspora history.

In 2021, she made history as Virginia’s first female lieutenant governor and the first woman of color elected statewide. Her campaign for governor built on that legacy, emphasizing faith, family, and conservative values.

Earle-Sears, 61, holds degrees from Tidewater Community College, Old Dominion University, and Regent University, where she earned a Master’s in Organizational Leadership with a concentration in Government. She previously served as a Virginia State Delegate (2002–2004) and Vice Chair of the Virginia State Board of Education (2011–2015).

Throughout the campaign, Earle-Sears touted her immigrant success story and military service, calling herself “proof of the American dream.” But analysts say her association with Trump and her conservative stance on abortion may have hurt her in suburban districts that swung Democratic.

FIRST MUSLIM LT. GOV.

Meanwhile, State Senator Ghazala Hashmi made U.S. history, defeating conservative radio host John Reid to become the state’s next lieutenant governor – and the first Indian and first Muslim person ever elected to statewide office in Virginia, as well as the first Muslim woman to win a statewide race in the U.S.

Hashmi, 61, a community college administrator and progressive Democrat, first won office in 2019 by flipping a key district in Richmond. She was inspired to enter politics after Donald Trump’s 2016 travel ban targeting Muslim-majority countries.

“This victory is proof that we belong, that our voices matter, and that inclusion makes America stronger,” Hashmi said Monday.

Born in Hyderabad, India, Hashmi immigrated to the U.S. as a child and grew up in small-town Georgia. Her win cements a new milestone for representation in Virginia and across the nation.

Looking Ahead

With Spanberger’s and Hashmi’s victory, Democrats now reclaim control of Virginia’s executive branch in a win that could shape national political strategies leading into 2026.